Macie Stewart’s CV reads like the memoirs of a musician who’s about to enter the twilight stage of their career and not somebody who’s about to release their debut album.

Apparently, Stewart learned to play the piano at the tender age of three, around the same time they learned to talk and it appears they haven’t paused for breath since. Although the Chicago-born multi-instrumentalist cut their teeth on jazz and folk, their talents are genre-spanning. To say Stewart is prolific is an understatement, having leant their musical services to a whole plethora of artists including Japanese Breakfast, The Weather Station, Chance the Rapper, Knox Fortune and fellow Chicagoans, Whitney. 

Of course, they are best known for being one half of art-rock outfit Finom (formally known as Ohmme) but given the calibre of Mouth Full Of Glass, this could be about to change. 

On Mouth Full Of Glass Stewart has returned to their folk roots, though that’s under-selling it a little. Scratch the surface of these introspective acoustic compositions and you’ll find a vast amount of innovation. Strings soar, trumpets purr lazily and sci-fi synths propel us into the future. 

First track Finally is built around the tender plucking of an acoustic guitar, from which Stewart utilises the aforementioned strings and brass to construct luscious soundscapes. Next track Garter Snake is an album highlight. As the song progresses the music swells around the swirling recapitulation “I am addicted to indecision, I am addicted and I feel wicked” before eventually, the choral refrain sinks beneath the depths. 

The album’s namesake Mouthful of Glass is a slight nudge away from being a Kid A-era Radiohead song. Even the name sounds like something Thom Yorke might have scribbled somewhere in his notebook. Golden (For Mark) and Where We Live continue the ghostly ethereal tone before What Will I Do takes us back to those folkier origins. Next track Tone Pome is almost jaunty compared to its predecessors but thankfully it manages to contain itself. 

For the most part Mouth Full Of Glass is an absolute triumph but if I were to be hyper-critical I’d say at times it can feel a little formulaic. Fortunately, Stewart’s songwriting ability and knack for melody means their songs never fall into skippable territory, so any minor grievances are easily forgiven. 

The Final two tracks Defeat and Maya, Please were both recorded after the album’s initial U.S release and serve as an insight into Stewart’s more recent creative output. These two tracks ooze with surprisingly cool self-assurance. Especially Maya, Please which is easily the standout of the two. The song is a dark, lamented plea for forgiveness. But tellingly there’s a confidence, maybe even arrogance to it that’s missing from the rest of the album. Gone is the wistful dejection that was prevalent before and instead the vocals sound almost confrontational. It’s by far the most memorable moment on Mouth Full Of Glass and provides a tantalising glimpse at how the future may sound for Macie Stewart.